


Dark Hound

by cleanlittlesecret



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Hanoi Akira, Pre-Series, VRAINS Week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 23:18:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15254268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cleanlittlesecret/pseuds/cleanlittlesecret
Summary: No matter what depths Akira's work took him to, he'd promised himself never to get Aoi involved in it. The Knights of Hanoi let no personal convictions stand in their way.(Written for the prompt "change of heart.")





	Dark Hound

They were to meet in the network area the Knights of Hanoi had created and controlled—a liminal space of black embroidered with green and blue lights, disconnected from the rest of Link VRAINS and unknown to even the best minds at SOL Technologies. After five years of working for Hanoi, Akira had lost even the faintest wisp of curiosity about this place, so he shifted his weight on his legs as he fought the urge to check the time on the Duel Disk the Knights had issued to him. Each dragging second chafed like sand against his nerves, and when a glowing portal finally opened before him and materialized another person into the space, he ground his teeth together to hold in a snappy greeting.

“I apologize for the wait.” Spectre gave him the smallest of bows. “Revolver-sama had important business to discuss.”

If Akira had to describe Spectre in one word, it would be  _unnerving_ —the boy was probably close in age to his little sister Aoi, but between his lanky body, white suit, and leering mannerisms, he came across as being much older. He also had a great deal of influence on Akira’s job security, so Akira took a long breath. “Never mind the formalities. Why did you call me here?”

“As you wish.” Spectre raised his wrist, and a ring of light spread from his Duel Disk to produce a card he drew and held towards Akira. At first glance, the card appeared no different from the ones Akira and Aoi had been collecting ever since he had first scraped together enough money to afford it, but something about it made the back of Akira’s neck prickle. “You are to give this card to your sister Blue Angel.”

He spoke as if it was just another assignment, as if the named Duelist wasn’t a VRAINS celebrity, as if Akira’s entire body didn’t tense at the word  _sister_.

_How...?_

“It contains a program that scans the network around its user for any trace of the missing Ignis. Just being in her deck when she’s Dueling online will be enough to let it work, but if she plays it, then its range and power will be boosted for as long as it is on the field, so please encourage your sister to use it as much as possible.” Spectre smirked. “Do you have any questions?”

Akira struggled to think through the burning in his chest. How could Spectre know Blue Angel was Aoi? How could anyone besides Akira know that? He had been meticulous, had used all his skills and resources to erase every bit of data that could connect the virtual idol to his little sister since the day she had created the account, so  _how?_

“What is it?”

Akira swallowed. “How do you know my sister is Blue Angel?”

“Oh, that?” Spectre shrugged. “Don’t worry about something so insignificant. The Knights of Hanoi know everything about you—for example, we know Zaizen Aoi is actually your  _step_ -sister, and you’ve been raising her by yourself since your parents died when you were only a teenager. Car accidents tend to happen at the worst times, I’m afraid.”

“ _Enough._ ” If he wasn’t desperate to keep this job, Akira would have struck Spectre, but as it was, he balled his hands into fists. “Why must it be Blue Angel? She’s never had anything to do with you Hanoi.”

“Isn’t it obvious that’s why we want her? The entire network has been under increased surveillance for several months, so it has become difficult for the Knights to do their work, but Blue Angel’s spotless reputation allows her to go where she pleases with total freedom and access places where Hanoi has been all but banned. We believe she should be safe from harassment, unlike the Knights.”

 _Harassment?_  Akira’s eyes widened. “You mean Playmaker.”

Under better circumstances, he might have grinned at the scowl that twisted Spectre’s face. The Duelist known as  _Playmaker_  had been a menace to the Knights of Hanoi for several months, but despite all their efforts, they had yet to catch a scrap of his real-life identity. Akira had been tasked with finding him for a while, but when it had become obvious Playmaker was either a hacker on the same level as him or working with someone who was, Akira had been moved to a different assignment. At the time, even the sound of Playmaker’s name could drive his blood pressure up, but now a tiny part of Akira wished he could send the mysterious Duelist a thank-you message for being so irritating. The rest of him focused on more important matters.

“What if Playmaker detects the programming in that card and thinks my sister is working for Hanoi? She could be attacked like your Knights.”

“Given how he clearly wants to avoid the public’s attention, I doubt he will challenge a high-profile Duelist like Blue Angel, but if he does, then she should be able to defend herself—or don’t you have faith in your sister’s skills?” That horrible smirk grew on Spectre’s mouth until Akira shook his head.

“I won’t do it. I won’t let you use her.”

Spectre’s expression shifted into a flat look. “What makes you think you have a choice in the matter? Despite your  _failure_  to capture the Ignis, you’ve continued working with us for all these years. Do you really think Revolver-sama would tolerate your refusal now?”

 _Revolver._  Akira had heard the name of Hanoi’s leader many times over his Hanoi career, but he had never been allowed to see him for fear he would be able to uncover even a shred of Revolver’s real identity—how unfair. Why should someone who wanted to be a secret know everything about Akira’s life?

Spectre tapped the card against his mouth. “You know what will happen if Revolver-sama comes to believe you’re no longer of use to him—so what will you do, Zaizen-san?”

Akira couldn’t let himself be purged and leave Aoi with no one to take care of her, nor could he go anywhere for help—how could he tell someone that he had spent the past five years working for a cyberterrorist organization? Spectre held the card towards him, and Akira’s hands went limp before he stepped forward to take it. The card disappeared in a flash of light when he touched it, and his Duel Disk beeped.

_Download complete._

“Excellent.” Spectre clasped his hands behind his back. “Your cooperation is most appreciated. We hope for great results to come from this assignment. You’re dismissed.”

Akira’s mouth snapped open to tell Spectre to either shut up or go to hell, his brain hadn’t decided which yet, but the world dissolved around him before his temper could take its chance, and Akira regained consciousness in the chair at his desk. He blinked at the dark reflection staring at him from his sleeping computer’s screen before dropping his head to rub a crick from his neck.

After their parents died, Akira had done everything he could to protect Aoi—both from the outside world and from the oftentimes illegal work he had taken to support them. His first rule had always been to never get her involved in what he did, so could he really violate it now? Could he really push himself to make her work for Hanoi, even if she didn’t know she was doing it?

He straightened to check the time on his Duel Disk’s screen. Aoi would get home from school soon, so Akira pried himself from the chair and left the room where he did little more than sleep and work.

The apartment was just big enough for the two of them to have their own tiny bedrooms and space to live together, and it was further confined by the clutter of two people trying to rebuild their sense of security after losing everything they’d had. Hanoi’s wages wouldn’t cover anything more, but it was steady income, which was better than the constant scrambling just to afford food that he had endured for the five years before the Knights had contacted him.

Back then, the twenty-one-year-old Akira had been a hacker who’d built a decent reputation for his work on the internet, and while he’d heard rumors about the Knights of Hanoi, he hadn’t known a thing about their goals or the Ignis. How things had changed since that day.

Akira worked like a machine to keep his mind off the task Spectre had assigned him, and by time the apartment’s door opened, an array of dishes sat ready on the stove and counter. “I’m home,” Aoi called as she took off her shoes in the entryway.

“Welcome back.” Akira left the stove long enough to see her face and give her a smile. “Dinner’s ready, so go change and wash up.”

“Okay.” Aoi headed towards her bedroom, but as she passed him, Akira caught sight of the Duel Disk on her arm and grimaced. When the card-insertion models started becoming obsolete, he had taken side jobs to scrape together enough money to buy Aoi the newer model as a birthday present, but now he cursed himself for making it easier for Hanoi to get to her. Akira set the table while she was gone, but when Aoi returned, now dressed in a t-shirt and baggy shorts, she said, “Can I help?”

“Thanks for the offer, but everything’s done.” Akira pulled out her chair, and once Aoi had sat, he took his seat across the table. “How was your day?”

“Fine. A little dull, but...” Aoi shrugged. “Thanks for the meal.”

The answer wasn’t much, but Akira allowed her time to eat before he started his questioning again. “What about the Duel Club?” That got him nothing more than another shrug. “Aoi?”

Aoi stared into her bowl as she gathered the rice with her chopsticks. Thanks to Akira’s No Duel Disks At The Dinner Table rule, her arms were empty. “I’m thinking about quitting it.”

“Why? Do you not like Dueling anymore?”

“I still like it, but there are only a few guys in the club, and none of them really talk to me, so it’s kind of boring.”

Akira frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that, but maybe you should give it more time. It’s still early in the school year after all, so maybe more people will join soon.” Aoi shrugged again, so he let the topic drop for the time being. Their meal proceeded in silence, but as he ate, Akira mulled over what Aoi had said.

Maybe it would be better if Aoi distanced herself from Dueling. He had never been able to convince her to deactivate the Blue Angel account, and he didn’t have the heart to force the matter himself, but maybe if she lost interest in the VRAINS on her own, she would be protected from Hanoi and any danger Spectre’s card would bring her. He didn’t like the thought of her losing something that had once been her greatest passion, but if it kept her safe, then he would live with it.

Could he really give her that card? What choice did he have? Hanoi would know if their card wasn’t gathering any data, and if he refused to work for them anymore, then he would surely be purged to prevent any of their information from being leaked. Aoi couldn’t connect to anyone even at school, so if he disappeared from her life, then she would be left all alone. More than anything else, he could not do that to her.

The sound of Aoi scooting her chair back to stand broke his thoughts. “Dinner was good.”

“Wait.” Akira held up a hand, and Aoi looked at him. “Does Blue Angel have a Duel tonight?” Her eyes dropped as she slowly nodded, and Akira left the table to reclaim his Duel Disk from where he’d left it on the counter before he started cooking. “Then I have something for you.” His hands shook as he typed on the screen, and when the loading bar cleared, a faint beep sounded from the direction of Aoi’s room.

_Download complete._

Aoi looked towards her room. “What was that?”

“A new card for Blue Angel.” Akira swallowed and put on a faint smile. “A…client sent me a bonus as thanks for my work today. The card’s from a set that hasn’t been released in stores yet, but I could buy an electronic copy online. Good luck with your Duel.”

Aoi’s face brightened. “Thank you, Brother!” She started to take a step towards him, hesitated, and clasped her hands before her instead. “Are you going to watch my Duel tonight?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

Grinning, she bowed. “Then I’d better go get ready. See you in a bit!”

When Aoi’s bedroom door slammed shut behind her, Akira’s teeth ground together until he slammed a fist onto the counter beside him. It had been that easy to betray his own little sister. How could he be so weak? Was this really what it meant to protect someone?


End file.
